Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS and its characters.

A/N: I watched the first episode of season 7 (Truth or consequences) the other day and I got some inspiration from the interrogation scene, where Tony started to mirror Gibbs' movements while saying exactly the same words as he did. So here is the result... Serious!Tony alert! :)

Nowadays if Anthony DiNozzo took a look at his own reflection in the mirror, he never stopped trying to change the vision in his mind of that ruffle-haired, green-eyed thirty something prankster he saw in front of him. In fact he didn't give up the hope that someday he'll notice at least some features of somebody else on the plain surface. Some silver hairs among the brown ones maybe, some blue-ish gleam in the green irises, a bit less colors on those red lips, yet more firmness on them.

Nine years passed since he shook his boss' hand for the first time, since he first saw that famous half-smile that suggested the words without speaking:"Let's see if I can make a man out of you…"

In the meantime – thanks to Gibbs – Tony learned to read thoughts that didn't even exist yet. He slowly became aware of the all-time marine's subconscious and instincts so much that even Ducky was surprised how he could read him. Although this thing was mutual – DiNozzo was an open book to Gibbs too.

Tony observed and learned in every minute they spent together. He aimed to take his knowledge and experience, but sometimes this cost sleepless nights and some struggles with himself. "You gotta trust your gut, boy, you gotta take the risks," Gibbs told him, and he did so, no matter how hard it proved to be. Sometimes he failed, but most of the time he didn't and he knew he chose the right path then.

Interrogation was definitely Tony's favourite phase of observation. He liked to see how Gibbs had an impact on other people, how he altered them – much faster and with much less delicacy than he formed him with during all those years. He liked to hear Gibbs' low, convincing, soothing tone as much as he liked to have the thrills every time his boss raised his voice to intimidate the suspect.

While standing in the observation room Tony always had the chance to challenge himself, or rather his intuitions about Gibbs. That was his secret playtime, his reward after hard work: making a guess how Gibbs will choose his words, or when he is going to stand up. Figuring whether he's gonna walk around the table, ready to whisper something into the person's ear, or he's gonna turn his back to the suspect talking to the glass instead.

The young agent couldn't recall a situation from his job that would have been more perfect than that – a moment when he could face Gibbs while he didn't see him. As a matter of fact having Gibbs in front of him, the glass between the two rooms was a mirror not only for the older man inside, but in a way, for Tony too. He saw a man through the glass. A man he looked up to, a man he respected and loved – a man he hoped he was going to measure up to someday.

Tony knew that only one thing can provide changes, such as turning the brown hairs into silver ones, or the glass of the observation room into a real mirror: more time. That Tony Dinozzo was more than willing to spend on this side of the glass, but still at Gibbs' side.

So what do you think? Good? Bad? Both? Neither? ^^